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against swift, violent, terrifying monsters. In fact, the movie has a lot more in common with the literary classic, “I Am Legend” than any standard zombie film. And “The Infected”, as they’re referred to in the film, are very much alive and very much human, traits that make them such a disturbing menace.
Boyle has spoken in recent interviews about the misconceptions such quotes as the one I’ve worked to dismiss here, and has spoken similarly, saying that he actually set out to “draw a portrait of the rage inherent in humanity, buried beneath the surface.” Easy there, Danny boy. While no cheap zombie flick, “Days” ain’t exactly “The Pianist”. But while the film manages to cliché its way to the credits(hmm, wonder if the military men will turn out to be creepier than the Infected?), it does so with such energy that it all feels somewhat new. By the time Jim is running around the compound bloody, half-naked and inflicting violence on all the nasties around him, the film runs the risk of beating us over the head with its message. But, sensing that enough is enough, Boyle pulls back before it all becomes a bore and delivers a satisfying ending to an enjoyable haunted house ride. While it’s a ride we’ve taken before, it still benefits from the fresh touch-ups Boyle has given it.
Film Grade: B+
The DVD is truly the best one disc extension of the film imaginable, featuring documentary footage on the guerilla style shoot, insightful commentary from Boyle and company, as well as the true draw: The 3 abandoned endings of the film. While 2 are your run of the mill extras, the third is surprisingly insightful, as Boyle narrates a collage of storyboards depicting a vastly different third act for the film. While you'll thank your lucky stars the bizarre and plot hole-riffic direction was not the road eventually travelled on(Boyle is his harshest critic here), it's still undeniably cool to get such a detailed glimpse at what could have been.
DVD Grade: A
The extras considerably up the ante on "28 Days Later" and should make it an appealing buy for horror fans everywhere. It's not everyone's cup of tea; particularly those who dislike cynical but valid statements on humanity, but for those who like their scares to come from a deeper place than usual, this might be a great buy. Just don't expect to be uplifted.
Final Grade: A-
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Interview by Tom Johnson
(tomjohnson@thecinemasource.com)
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